[19 January/Otago Daily Times] Fonterra is working with Alibaba’s new physical retail concept, Hema Fresh, to launch a fresh milk product in China. The milk product which will be supplied in 750ml products from Fonterra’s farms in Hebei province and shipped to the 14 Hema Fresh stores in Shanghai and Suzhou. Fonterra President Greater China,...

[17 January/NZ Herald] The a2 Milk Company said it is planning to expand its brand of milk across the North East of the United States this year. The company noted that it had been focused on achieving sales based targets in its initial markets before it started to expand its footprint in the US into...

[6 January/ NZ Herald] Following some challenging seasons where Westland Milk Products fell significantly behind Fonterra in payout return, new CEO, Toni Brendish, has set out closing the gap following her appointment in September 2016. The co-op has focused heavily since Ms Brendish’s arrival on cost cutting and growing revenue and has spent time explaining to...

[4 January/ Otago Daily Times] The first GDT auction of the year produced a positive result for farmers with the overall index lifting by 2.2%. The price of Whole Milk Powder performed the strongest recovering 4.25 to USD2,886 per tonne while skim milk powder and butter also showed increases. The auction saw 25,400 tonnes of...

[3 January/ National Business Review] Fonterra has advised that it expects to collect 3% less milk from suppliers in the 2017/18 season as dry weather stunts grass growth and lowers milk production. The co-operative now expects to collect 1,480 million kilos of milk solids in the season compared to expectation in December that milk production...

[24 December /Otago Daily Times] Fonterra Operations Manager at the Clandeboye Plant, Steve McKnight, has said that the Co-operative’s $240 million investment into a mozzarella cheese plant at the site is on target for commissioning in May 2018. The project has already created 75 new jobs and 25 further people will join the Fonterra team...

[14 December/Stuff Business] Experienced Qantas Executive, Jayne Hrdlicka, has been named as the new CEO of a2 Milk Company, replacing Geoff Babidge. Ms Hrdlicka is currently leading the customer loyalty business of Qantas having previously been CEO of Jetstar. She has also served as a non-executive director of Woolworths and was a partner at Bain...

[20 December/The Country] Synlait Milk says it will enter into the fresh milk market in early 2019 through becoming the exclusive supplier of private label fresh milk and cream to Foodstuffs South Island. The company will invest $125 million in a liquid dairy packaging plant and the products will be sold across the network of...

[15 December/NZ Herald] Fonterra Australia has announced that it is looking to formulate a co-operative solution for its Aussie suppliers who at the moment supply the company outside of its co-operative structure. The CEO of Fonterra Australia, Rene Dedoncker, said the Australian business had become stronger as the plant footprint had evolved (including the recently...

[11 December/ Stuff] Fonterra has launched their ‘Opening Our Farm Gates’ campaign in an attempt to change the perception urban New Zealanders have of dairying and water quality. Part of the campaign involved opening two Manawatu dairy farms to the public over the weekend, with around 240 people visiting. Dairy Industry Chairman, Chris Lewis said...

[8 December/ Radio NZ] Otorohanga District Council have stated that they were against resource consent being granted for a $230 million dairy factory, with locals worried it would threaten wildlife as there was a wetland adjacent to the factory site. Happy Valley Milk applied for consent in November 2016 and went through public consultation, with...

[8 December/ National Business Review] Fonterra said it would need an extra 3 billion liters of New Zealand milk production to reach its 2025 growth targets. The company collected 19 billion liters of liquid milk equivalent in 2017, but wanted to boost that to 22.5 billion liters by 2025. Fonterra said this could be done...

[7 December/ Stuff] Fonterra has decreased its forecast payout for the 2017-18 season by 35 cents to $6.40 per kilogram of milk solids. Based on DairyNZ production figures of 1.85 billion kilograms of milk over the season, the 35 cent decrease equated to lost income of $647 million for farmers. For the average farmer milking...

[6 December/ Otago Daily Times] The Global Dairy Trade price index increased by 0.4 percent to USD 3,091 at the most recent auction. The price of whole milk powder, which had a major influence on the price New Zealand farmers received, increased by 1.7 percent to USD 2,830 per tonne. AgriHQ Dairy Analyst, Amy Castleton...

[4 December/ Stuff] Fonterra has maintained its S&P Global Rating despite being ordered to pay $183 million in compensation to Danone for losses suffered after products had to be recalled following a botulism scare in 2013. S&P said Fonterra had enough liquidity to cover the payment and it believed the company had appropriately addressed its...

[30 November/ NZ Herald] DairyNZ has secured $8.4 million in funding from the Government over the next seven years to develop genetically low nitrogen excreting animals and farm management strategies to reduce greenhouse gases. DairyNZ Strategy and Investment Leader for Productivity, Bruce Thorrold said the funding would enable the dairy industry to lower its environmental...

[29 November/ Stuff] Synlait Founder and Chief Executive Officer, John Penno has announced he will be stepping down from the position within the next 12 months. Mr Penno would continue in a governance role as a director of the board. Synlait Chairman, Graeme Milne said Mr Penno had been an exceptional leader and had left...

[27 November/ Stuff] Happy Cow Milk Company Owner, Glen Herud does not own land and does not have a permanent milking shed or effluent system. Instead, Mr Herud milked his 60 cow herd once a day from a mobile milking unit parked in leased land. Rather than make his cows walk from the paddock to...

[23 November/ Stuff] Waikato Dairy Farmer, Jim van der Poel has been elected the new chairman of Dairy NZ. Mr Poel was a director of Fonterra and New Zealand Co-operative Dairies. Mr Poel would replace Michael Spaans, who died earlier this week after a long illness. Mr Poel said Mr Spaans was a skilled, dedicated...

[24 November/ NZ Herald] Westland Milk Products said improved plant efficiencies contributed to an increased in processed milk through the Hokitika dairy factory. Peak milk for the new season reached 3,564,935 litres on 2 November 2017. Improved maintenance processes, plant reliability, and ensuring the right people were in the right place at the right time...

[28 November/ Otago Daily Times] The latest New Zealand Dairy Statistics showed that the milk produced by an average cow increased from 4,185 litres in the 12 months to June 2016 to a record 4,259 litres in the 12 months to June 2017. Dairy NZ Senior Economist, Matthew Newman said the trend for increasing milk...

[23 November/ Stuff] Federated Farmers remained optimistic that Fonterra’s forecast price of $6.75 per kilogram of milk solids would be maintained in December, unlike most other analysts who believed it would decrease to around $6.50 per kilogram. If the price did decrease to this level, it would mean a reduction of almost $500 million for...